Shanghai Masters 2016: Nick Kyrgios is just not sorry enough

Among all the poor decisions Nick Kyrgios made on Wednesday in Shanghai (not trying, or even pretending to, verbally brawling with the crowd, et al), the last was to be belligerent about the effort he had just not made. It was hard to know what was worse: the on-court non-performance, or what followed in the interview room.

A belated tweet of apology, however welcome, could not erase what had gone before, even if world No.2 Andy Murray was generous and fraternal enough to acknowledge that "we're not perfect" and "everyone makes mistakes", while hoping Kyrgios would learn from one that even his most determined defenders will have a hard time rationalising.

"Maybe he wasn't feeling great today, but you have to give your best effort of what you have on that day even if you're feeling a bit tired and lacking motivation because you have just won a tournament the week before," said Murray. "If he didn't do that, then he will be disappointed with himself tonight."

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Tellingly, Murray stressed that as much as Kyrgios may say he is not bothered, he will be, and the Scot has been a mentor and friend to the 21-year-old Australian since his early days on the tour. Yet it does not take a dual Wimbledon champion - or even a psychologist, for that matter - to deduce that the more Nick Kyrgios declares how little he cares, the more obvious it is how much he does.

He is a contradiction, a conundrum, a bundle of insecurities cocooned in an extraordinary natural talent for a sport he says he does not love. So, then, as John McEnroe might say, why play it? It is clearly for more than the oft-repeated claim that he doesn't know what else to do. Surely, if it was all so dreadful, he has enough money, even at the age of 21, to go and find something that satisfies him.

The fans have a choice, the world No.14 said repeatedly after his loss to 110th-ranked Mischa Zverev: leave if you don't like it. So can Kyrgios. And yet his investment was never more obvious than when he shed courtside tears at the US Open after his third round injury retirement against Illya Marchenko. No big deal? Really?

Kyrgios has consulted the aforementioned psychologists, but still seems to need more help dealing with all that has come his way so early; how best to manage his own emotions, ambitions and fears. All understandable. He is charismatic, loyal, popular with his peers, and yet - despite some positive recent signs and words - this is still not playing out in a good way.

There are, however, things someone still so young can and should take from this potentially career-shaping experience (other than the inevitable and hefty ATP fine). One is that he truly is better than what he showed on the court, for apart from that 2015 Wimbledon lapse against Richard Gasquet - which now seems like an even greater non-event than it did at the time - we have seen his proud competitiveness often enough.

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The other is that, when faced with the official obligation to explain the just-barely-explainable to the international media, these are the options: either be pragmatic and self-aware enough to deliver a genuine mea culpa; or cop the fine for an interview no-show and spare yourself the ignominy of even harsher judgments by not coming at all.